


An Unexpected Rush

by partypaprika



Category: Mighty Ducks (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:54:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28310073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/partypaprika/pseuds/partypaprika
Summary: Charlie was shouting along with the rest of the crowd when Fischer, number seventeen for Boston University, checked Adam hard into the boards and Adam went down and stayed down. Before he was aware of it, Charlie was on his feet, pressed up against the glass at the bottom of the stairs, his heart racing as he tried to see if Adam was ok.
Relationships: Adam Banks/Charlie Conway
Comments: 4
Kudos: 50
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	An Unexpected Rush

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ljparis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ljparis/gifts).



Charlie was shouting along with the rest of the crowd when Fischer, number seventeen for Boston University, checked Adam hard into the boards and Adam went down and stayed down. Before he was aware of it, Charlie was on his feet, pressed up against the glass at the bottom of the stairs, his heart racing as he tried to see if Adam was ok.

There was a long moment where no one moved and Charlie thought he might do something crazy, like try to climb up the plexiglass or fight through the security to get onto the ice, but then Adam very carefully pushed himself up with his right arm just as the trainer ran out onto the ice to help him. Together, they maneuvered Adam onto his feet, his left arm hugging close to his body, and then Adam slowly skated off, his face down towards the ice, as the rest of the crowd slowly cheered and the players stick tapped for him.

Charlie’s heart beat furiously in his chest, almost achingly hard, and he went out to the concession area, his phone gripped hard in his hand. Knowing that it would be futile, he texted Adam asking if he was ok and how bad it was, but there was no answer. 

A minute later, Jenny, one of his friends who he’d been sitting with, appeared from the entrance to the arena, her face pinched until she saw Charlie.

“Charlie!” she said, rushing over to him. “I was wondering where you went. What are you doing out here?”

“I came out here to see if I could get a hold of Adam,” Charlie said and he didn’t even feel embarrassed at the look of understanding that passed across her face. Just about every friend that Charlie had at BU knew that he and Adam had been best friends since they were kids. Although, they always made sure to give Charlie plenty of shit about having a friend who went to their eternal rival.

“Of course,” Jenny said.

Charlie tried to smile, but it felt weird and wrong, so he just shrugged. “I want to make sure that he’s ok.”

Jenny grimaced. “Well, it’s good that he got up out there, right? That’s a good sign.”

“Sure,” Charlie agreed, more for form than because he actually felt like it was something good. He wanted to go back out there and do something, like punch Fischer in the neck.

“Are you going to go back in or…?” she asked.

Charlie was as invested as anyone else in the matchups between Boston University and Boston College, but at that moment, he had never cared less about hockey. “I’m going to see if they’ll let me in anywhere back there.” He jerked his head towards where the locker rooms were located.

“Sure,” Jenny said. “Do you want me to come with you?”

Charlie gave her another smile and shook his head. “Nah, I’m fine, but thank you. You should go back up there with the rest of the group.” He tried to inject his voice with some measure of calmness or nonchalance, but at the worried tilt of Jenny’s eyebrows, he probably wasn’t succeeding. “I’ll text you later when I know more.”

Jenny reluctantly let herself be persuaded to return to the rest of the group. It wasn’t that Charlie didn’t want Jenny around, but at the moment, he could only keep one thing in his mind, and that was Adam. It was easier to worry without her there.

Unsurprisingly, security didn’t let Charlie, some random BU college kid, back into the BC locker room areas, forcing Charlie to wait nervously by the entrance. After what seemed like a small eternity, Charlie’s phone vibrated and he looked down to see a text from Adam.

 _Probably broken collarbone, going to the hospital, will txt when I know more_.

Ok, broken collarbone was not ideal, but infinitely better than a host of other issues, many of which had already flashed through Charlie’s mind. “He’s ok,” he told himself. “Adam will be ok.”

 _wnt me to call ur dad?_ Charlie texted back when his heart rate had finally settled somewhere in the same magnitude of normal.

 _y pls_ , Adam responded.

Charlie waited a long minute and then took a deep breath. _will they let you have visitors?_

 _hopefully_ , Adam sent back and Charlie’s heart clenched so hard, it hurt again.

 _i'm going to meet you there_ , Charlie sent back.

_ok_

It turned out that hospitals involved a lot of waiting, even when Charlie claimed to be a member of Adam’s family.

“I know,” the nurse said, kindly but firmly. “But he’s with the doctor right now. When they’re done, assuming that he wants visitors, I will let you know.”

“Absolutely,” Charlie said, giving her his best smile. “Do you know when that will be though?” The nurse rolled her eyes but smiled fondly and pointed Charlie back to the waiting area.

After what felt like a small eternity, where Charlie had spoken with Adam’s dad and texted a few of Adam’s friends who had reached out, the nurse came back and let Charlie know that he could go through to Adam’s room.

When Charlie went through the door, Adam was sitting on the bed, a sling holding up his left arm, looking out the window into the hospital’s parking lot.

“Hey cake eater,” Charlie said softly.

Adam whirled around, his face lighting up with a smile. “Are you here to finish me off?” Adam asked. “To ensure that BU wins by any means necessary?”

“Absolutely,” Charlie said and stepped in close to Adam. He knew that he was hovering, probably standing far too close, but it was taking all of his willpower to not to reach out and touch Adam. He wanted to feel Adam under his own fingertips, know that Adam was warm and alive, still there, even if a bit more dinged up than usual.

Instead, Charlie stuffed his hands into his pockets. “You gave me a good scare,” he said. “I think your dad was hyperventilating on the phone.”

“Yeah, I spoke with him a few minutes ago,” Adam said. “He first wanted to know if I really was ok. Then he wanted to know how long this would keep me out of hockey.” He shot Charlie a wry look and they both laughed. Some things never changed.

“Do they at least have you on the good stuff?” Charlie asked.

Adam shook his head. “Standard grade pain killers. Apparently my break could have been much much worse.”

“Well, there’s good news,” Charlie said.

Adam scooted over on the bed and then patted the space he’d just vacated.

“I don’t know,” Charlie said.

“You’re making me uncomfortable just standing there,” Adam said, his fond tone taking all of the sting out of his words.

Charlie hopped up onto the bed so he was facing Adam, who had used the opportunity to lean back against the raised end of the hospital bed.

“I’m just so happy that you’re alright,” Charlie said, the words forced out before he could stop himself. “When I saw you go down—I thought you might not be getting up. I’ve never been so scared before in my life.”

Adam frowned and suddenly Charlie couldn’t stop his hands from reaching out, his right hand grabbing Adam’s right wrist. For the first time in hours, Charlie could finally breach.

“Hey, it’s ok,” Adam said quietly. “I’m ok.” But he didn’t move his wrist away from where Charlie held it.

“It’s hard enough when I was on the ice with you,” Charlie said, deliberately trying to be light. “At least then I knew that someone out there was protecting me.”

“You’ve always done a good job of that,” Adam said, but his face was serious and Charlie’s heartbeat kicked back up.

“Adam,” Charlie said, not sure what he wanted to say, but needing to say something, anything. “I just—”

“I know,” Adam said and he tugged Charlie towards him with just enough strength that Charlie wasn’t prepared for it. Charlie managed to stop himself from crushing Adam, but landed practically in his lap.

Neither one of them moved for a long minute and then Adam’s lips were against Charlie’s and they were kissing, light kisses leading to longer, deeper ones, although Charlie was careful to avoid any movement of Adam’s left side.

Eventually, Charlie pulled back, pointing at Adam’s collarbone. “We have to stop,” he said just as Adam leaned forward and kissed Charlie again. “We really do,” Charlie managed to get out in-between kisses.

“I know,” Adam said and finally pulled away. His cheeks were flushed and he looked so incredibly good, it was unfair. “I can’t believe this happened right now—the one time that I can’t do anything.”

“Well, cake eater,” Charlie said and laced his fingers together with Adam’s, “You always did like doing things the hard way. And lucky for you, I’m not going anywhere.”

Adam squeezed Charlie’s hand. “I just can’t seem to shake you,” he said as Charlie squeezed back and then settled himself next to Adam, squeezing in sideways so that he fit in the hospital bed. “Thank god for that.”


End file.
